MADISON, May 6, 2003 - Nearly 1,000 attorneys are
expected to gather in Milwaukee this week for the State Bar of
Wisconsin's annual convention. Milwaukee's Midwest Airlines Center will
host the three-day event slated for Wednesday, May 7 to Friday, May
9.

Internationally-renowned author, filmmaker and National Public Radio
(NPR) regular Andrei Codrescu will be the featured speaker during the
Thursday morning program. Dennis W. Archer, the first African American
elected president of the American Bar Association, is the keynote
luncheon speaker on Thursday; while Wisconsin Attorney General Peg
Lautenschlager will provide opening remarks at a legal seminar on
Wednesday afternoon.

The convention offers more than 30 educational programs, a legal
expo, an award banquet honoring judicial excellence, plus a program
recognizing Wisconsin lawyers for outstanding public service. To
commemorate its 125th anniversary, the State Bar will feature a history
display with visual vignettes from its founding to its present-day
growth of more than 20,000 members.

Keynote morning speaker Andrei Codrescu - 9 a.m. to
12:15 p.m. - Midwest Airlines Center, Ballroom C - Romanian-born
Codrescu, a MacCurdy Distinguished Professor of English, at Louisiana
State University, will present an inside look at the legal profession as
it enters the 21st century. His presentation, "Lawyers, Poets and other Alchemists:
Looking for Gold in the 21st Century," offers a fresh and humorous
perspective on the challenges facing the legal community. Codrescu is a
regular contributor on National Public Radio, has written a new book out
this month, and recently finished an upcoming PBS film to air in
November.

Keynote luncheon speaker Dennis W. Archer - 12:15 to
1:30 p.m. - Midwest Airlines Center, Ballroom D - Archer is
president-elect of the American Bar Association, and the first person of
color to hold the association's highest office. Selected by Newsweek as
one of the 25 most dynamic mayors in America, Archer was previously
mayor of Detroit for two terms. In 1984, he was elected president of the
Michigan Bar Association and, in 1985, was appointed associate justice
for the Michigan Supreme Court and was later elected to an eight-year
term. Archer will address issues surrounding corporate responsibility
and the ethical obligation of the legal community as societal
leaders.

Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony - 5 to 5:30 p.m. -
Hyatt Regency, Ballroom A - President-elect George Burnett of Green Bay
will be sworn in as the 48th president of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson will address the guests and
administer the oath of office.

ArtFest 2003 - 5:30 to 8 p.m. - Hyatt Regency,
Ballroom BCD - This popular event features more than 85 pieces of
diverse artwork created by members of the legal community. You be the
judge and cast your vote for the Best of Show from a variety of
categories.

Friday, May 9

Legal Expo 2003 - 8 to 11 a.m. - Midwest Airlines
Center, Ballroom AB

Spotlight panel presentation - 8:30 to 10: 35 a.m. -
Midwest Airlines Center, Ballroom C - Wisconsin lawyers, judges and
historians will focus on historic legal issues that helped shape the law
today. "Echoes of the Past:
Landmark Issues, Famous Cases and Legal Giants - Shaping Wisconsin
Yesterday and Today," commemorates three anniversaries in
Wisconsin's judicial system. This year the Supreme Court of Wisconsin
celebrates its 150th anniversary, while the State Bar of Wisconsin
observes its 125th anniversary and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
commemorates its 25th anniversary.

Reception for 50-year members - 11:45 a.m. to 12:40
p.m. - Midwest Airlines Center, Ballroom D - The State Bar of Wisconsin
recognizes 133 attorneys who were admitted to practice law a half
century ago.